Sounds like they are a ways off:
12:30 p.m., from Peter Gammons
• The Tigers and Marlins have had preliminary talks about a blockbuster trade -- Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for a package of young players that reportedly could include outfielder Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller -- but Florida GM Larry Beinfest needs a lot more and doesn't think it's serious.
Given what Florida was reportedly asking for Willis, and asking for Cabrera, I can't imagine what they'd need for both.

Oh, if they could pull it off, it would be huge for sure. Willis, Verlander, Bonderman, Rogers......Cabrera, Sheffield, Ordonez, Pudge.....
I just doubt that ANYBODY has enough top-flight prospects to give up for those two. Florida's probably going to want 4 Major League-ready players and 2-3 mid-level prospects, as well as 1 proven-yet-cheap player (ie. Granderson).

www.foxsports.com
The Marlins and Tigers have made the first blockbuster splash of the Winter Meetings.
Florida and Detroit have reached a preliminary agreement that will send star third baseman Miguel Cabrera and left-hander Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers for a package of young players headlined by outfielder Cameron Maybin and left-hander Andrew Miller, according to major-league sources.
Detroit will also send four prospects to the Marlins as part of the deal. Catcher Mike Rabelo and Class AAA right-hander Dallas Trahern were mentioned as possible players Tuesday morning, according to sources.
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Wow. Anyone know much about these prospects? I don't follow the Softball league.

Maybin is a stud, Miller projects to a #1 or 2 starter, but I think they had him in AA last year. I'm surprised that Detroit was able to come up with 6 minor leaguers that Florida would be willing to take for those two. Willis had a down year, and his numbers will take a hit in the AL, but he's still solid, and Cabrera is a beast.

Well Maybin has some issues he needs to work out. He has all the tools to be great though. He should have been NO WHERE NEAR MLB last year. He needs 1 more year of the minors to be ready. Andrew Miller will slot in the rotation immediately. Pumps it up in the upper 90's. Secondary pitches are coming along but he made nice progress from the scouting reports.
The other prospects are basically the Tigers top 2 pitching prospects. I think one is projected as a 3 type starter and the other is relief I think. Basically every decent prospect in the Detroit system went to Florida(that hasn't already went to Atlanta). It is a barren system now. Porcello is all that is left...while he is a nice prospect he is obviously ages away from the majors.
Could absolutely be a win win deal for both teams. They basically took the 2 stud prospects from the Tigers instead of the Angels package which was more MLB ready but didnt have the upside.

I wouldn't call them studs.
Maybin looked absolutely lost at times last year. He muffed simple fly balls in left field.
And you are gonna put Curtis Granderson on the bench for Maybin? I think not.
Most people have Pudge batting 8th in the Tigers lineup. Its pretty sick if you can have Pudge bat 8th.
Granderson
Polanco
Sheffield
Maggs
Cabrera
Guillen
Renteria
Pudge
Jones
Mark

Dontrelle was thrown as a dump. His arm is losing steam, and the Marlins didn't want to have to make a bad decision on his contract if he has a half way decent year pitching in one of the best pitching parks in the NL.
Tigers. Building one of the best rosters in baseball, one draft at a time. That GM has to have some Braves ties somehow.

"What's Detroits payroll now? Around 110 million? Never thought I'd see the day."
I know. Crazy, huh?
But Illitch is known to spend money to win and bring people to the park. Look at the Red Wings. Illitch gives the GM the freedom to spend to bring in top notch players and win championships. Granted, NHL is a little different than MLB, but the level of support and the wallet is there.
Mark

"So was Mike Lowell..."
I think it would be more accurate to say "Lowell's salary was a dump". They knew good and well that Lowell still had more in the tank, they just didn't want the last two years of his contract.

I agree about the salary dump, but that production sure wasn't the story here in Boston at the time of the trade, Eddie. He mysteriously had a horrible year the year before the trade that just happened to coincide with the BALCO/Roid scandal. All the sports writers I read, listened to, and watched basically said the same thing: the Sox will be lucky to get much out of Lowell.
Hell even up until the day before the 2006 season, the reports on his bat speed during spring training were very bad. Most were rationalizing it as "Well if we were to sign Beckett to a free agent deal, it'd cost as much as those two combined now, so it's worth it. Who knows? Lowell could possibly return to form in at least some capacity. At least he's a good fielder."

Apparently, Miller comes to Florida in the trade and becomes the Marlins' highest-paid player, but I've also heard that about Kevin Gregg. Neither guy cracks the $3 million mark it seems.
So where are the Fish moving to, now that they blew up any chance of getting a new stadium built??

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